Up in Flames
by SombreroWearinWriter
Summary: This was the true meaning of bliss. But how long would it last? Forever? What if he decides that I don't belong with him and he leaves? I have him now, but what about Victoria? And the Volturi? PLEASE READ! And DONE! Yay! First fanfic is DONE!
1. Preface

**DISCLAIMER: I obviously don't own any of the Cullens or Swans or any other vampire, (except for those I might mention that are in no way familiar) just in case you're wondering.**

"Edward, I'm sorry!" I shouted to his back. He twisted around, a sneer disfiguring his angelic features while his eyes snarled silently.

"You're _sorry_? Yeah, those two little words are going to make a _huge_ difference. 'Edward, I'm sorry for letting Mike Newton take my shirt off and stuff his tongue down my throat,'" he said, his tone sarcastic and hurt. He barked a single mirthless laugh.

"You know it wasn't my fault!" I screamed at him.

"Yeah, right. Go tell your sob story to Mike. I'm gone!" he shouted back. He turned around and stalked off.

"Edward, come back!" I shrieked. He didn't turn around. I fell to my knees and stared at the puddles that gathered in front of me. I curled into a ball and sobbed. He was gone again. But, I didn't have Jake or Jessica this time. I might not make it through this time. The pain reared back and fell over me like a wave. I was drowning in the pain and the fear. I struggled to reach the surface, but I did. I stood up, clutching myself to keep from falling apart. I walked home to go on with my life. I knew that I wouldn't go through life with a smile on my face or a song bubbling from my lips. I would probably go through it with a scream in my throat and a new hole in my chest. Again. I just wondered if he'd ever come back.


	2. Tears

For weeks, I started my day with puffy, red eyes from crying all night. My voice was always quiet, tense, and raw. I couldn't go for more than an hour without seeing his beautifully furious face in my mind. It was the exact opposite of the last time he left. Instead of locking my memories away, I forced them forward. The pain game.

I'd take pictures of Edward or boys who looked just like him and glue them to a poster board. A painful collage. I pasted his letters and tickets to movies and plays we'd seen and anything that'd remind me of him. The Cullens and Hales (yes, Rosalie came over) visited me every day. Esme always had a treat for me and Charlie, and Emmett always brought me flowers and fun things. I ignored the food and crushed the flower petals.

One day, I overheard Charlie talking to Carlisle.

"Are you sure she'll be alright? I remember the last time _that boy_ left her. She didn't handle it well. She didn't handle it at all. I'm worried."

"Don't worry. I'm sure that Edward will come back eventually. Esme makes him check in from time to time. He wouldn't desert anyone like that," Carlisle told him in a slightly defensive tone. He obviously didn't like anyone trash-talking his son. I shook my head, rolled my eyes, and ran upstairs. Of course, Carlisle knew that I was spying on him and my father, but he didn't let on. Trying not to get me into trouble, I suppose.

I sat on the floor and dragged out the collage. It was turning out nicely. There were maybe fifty images of Edward and many tickets and letters and some dried flower petals. There were almost no empty spaces. I pulled out a magazine and flipped aimlessly through the pages. Suddenly, I saw Edward. Of course, he wasn't _really _Edward, but the resemblance was almost frightening. He had the pale skin, dark shadows, angular face, messy auburn hair…The only difference was that his eyes were grey instead of black or gold. I instantly cut him out and pasted him onto the collage. I stared into his eyes, trying to imagine them gold instead of grey. But I couldn't do it. It wasn't Edward, and I couldn't even imagine it.

I don't know how many hours had passed before I heard Charlie saying goodbye to Carlisle. I rolled my eyes and pushed the collage and magazine under my bed. Carlisle called a goodbye up the stairs. I returned the gesture and got up from the floor, only to flop down on my bed.

I let the tears fall from my eyes. They were nothing like the tears I cried when angry. These tears were practically mocking. I remembered thinking that crying was supposed to make you feel calm and clean. But whenever I cried, it only reminded me of what I was crying about. But I ignored the images of his beautiful face, the pain and fury that warped his face. And then Jacob's face, bent into the same mask. How could one person cause so much pain? I heard Charlie clumping up the stairs to check on me. I closed my eyes and turned away from the door. I didn't want to let him see my tears and my pain. I didn't want to cause his suffering.

The door closed and I let unconsciousness envelop me.

Flashes of the past flew through my dreams. I saw the hatred reflecting through his face. I shied away from those memories and saw the future I wanted, the future I dreaded because Edward wouldn't be in it. How could I be so stupid? How could I have said _yes_ to Mike? How could I let the love of my life walk away like he did?

But I saw myself with the same golden eyes as the Cullens and Hales. I was staring at Edward, and he looked like he loved me again. He knew that it wasn't my fault, that it wasn't me. But I knew that it was impossible in real life. Then, Victoria's face. Her eyes were wild and black as night. She showed her face and lunged forward. I woke up screaming before she had attacked me.

"No!" I gasped. Charlie snored in his room, not bothering to check up on me anymore. I ran down the stairs and dialed the Cullens' number, hoping for Alice.

"Hello, Bella," Carlisle's voice said over the line.

"Is Alice there?" I hissed.

"Of course." Silence.

"Bella? What's wrong?" her worried voice asked.

"Alice, have you had any visions of Victoria?" I whispered breathlessly.

"No. Why?" she wondered.

"I don't know. It's bizarre, but it's like…I don't know. But I had a dream about her, and I haven't dreamt of her since…" I trailed off.

"I'll be right over," she announced, slightly alarmed.

"No," I protested. I didn't want her over just now. If anything would happen, I wouldn't want Alice there; I didn't want her to get hurt on my behalf. "Come over in the morning."

She sighed, probably exasperated. "Alright. Try to get some sleep, Bella."

"Yeah. Good night, Alice," I mumbled.

"Good night." _Click_.

I returned the phone to its cradle and padded back up the stairs. I made sure my window was locked before falling back into bed and curling up, the blackness falling upon me so swiftly that it was almost confusing. But I didn't dream, and I was so grateful for that one thing.

When the morning came, I got out of bed and dressed slowly. Something was going to happen today. I could feel it, a tangible difference in the air. I peeked out the window and saw that the cruiser was gone. I trudged down the stairs and grabbed a granola bar from the kitchen. I sat in one of the chairs and rested my head on my folded arms, ignoring the weak breakfast.

A soft knock made me get up. I walked to the door and let Alice in. She took in my expression and the dark circles under my eyes.

"Bella," she said quietly. I just nodded.

"I have trouble sleeping. Nightmares," I said in a monotone voice. Alice nodded quickly.

"Hmm…you haven't seen or heard from Victoria in months, and suddenly, you're dreaming of her? I don't _think_ that it's anything perceptive, but I'll tell Carlisle that we'll be keeping a closer eye on you that usual. I'll sleep over tonight, if it's okay with Charlie." Her voice was slightly tense.

But I snorted. "Charlie adores you, Alice. You could ask to set the house on fire and he'd say yes!" I declared. She smiled, too, but the smile was small and bleak.

"I know, but…I hope you realize that this is going to _far_ more difficult than before," she warned me. I stared at her and then let my eyes drop down. Jacob wouldn't help me now, and Edward wasn't going to swoop in and save the day. Edward…

"Bella?" Alice asked, getting nervous. I didn't realize that I had put my head back down.

"I'm sorry… I just…remembered." My voice was thick with the longing and pain I was suffering through without him.

"Are—are you alright?" she asked hesitantly.

"No!" I sobbed. I stared into her tawny eyes and let the tears fall miserably down my reddening cheeks. Alice's cool hand slowly patted my back, tapping a soothing rhythm into it. It made my shuddering sobs quiet, and eventually stop. I picked my head up and looked at her. She looked so calm, but her eyes were agonized and a little frantic. Even when she spoke, her voice did not quaver like mine.

"What happened?" she asked, her cool brow puckering in confusion.

"I—I went into the f-forest with Mike Newton," I told her, my tone very shaky. She nodded in encouragement, so I went on. "He asked if I wanted t-to take a walk, so I s-said yes. I followed him into the t-trees. He kept going deeper and deeper until we couldn't s-see the house." I stopped. Alice's eyes were worried now.

"And then what happened?" she prompted. I didn't want to continue, but it was almost impossible to say no to Alice.

"Well, he stopped a while after and sat down. I was tired, so I sat down, too. That was when…" I trailed off.

"What happened?" Alice asked, no longer passive. Her face was no longer covered in that calm mask, and she was furious at Mike. I cringed away from her a little bit. She ignored it and stared angrily at the table.

"He started chatting with me about trivial things…and then, he reached forward and started pulling off my shirt. I was too surprised to move, and frankly, I didn't notice until it was completely off. I looked at him with…horror. I don't know how to describe the feeling. Well, then he kissed me. I pushed him away, but only after Edward had seen. Alice, it wasn't my fault!" I cried, throwing myself at the table.

"No, it wasn't. It was Mike's." Her voice dripped with fury and venom. My head shot up.

"Alice, what are you going to do?" I asked, my eyes widening.

"Nothing that boy doesn't deserve," she replied curtly before turning to leave.


	3. Bleeding

When Alice returned that evening, she took in the angry set of my mouth.

"What?" she demanded, not understanding why I was so mad.

"Charlie," was all I said. She caught my tone and realized instantly what had happened.

"Oh, I understand," she muttered. But did she? Had she ever had to deal with the only person she'd ever loved, ever really opened up to, just rip himself away from her? Did she have to go through people talking about him, labeling him _that boy_ while she was in the same room, wrenching an imaginary hole that hurt all the same? I doubted it, but I stayed silent.

"Sometimes, I wish he'd just stop bringing him up altogether. And the worst part about when he talks about Edward, is that he sounds _smug_. As if he had _told_ me that this would happen," I snarled, mostly to myself. Alice just shook her head.

"I know he means well. Oh, speaking of Edward," she said quietly, taking in my hopeful and injured expression.

"You talked to him?" I asked, my voice betraying the desire. I wanted to know where he was, if he still remembered me, if he wanted me, if he was pining for me.

"Not exactly. I had a vision," she muttered, ignoring my expression.

"Oh. What of?" I asked through unmoving lips.

"Him. Coming home," she said, grinning. I took it that there was more that she wasn't telling me. But I didn't ask.

"Really?" I asked, not bothering to hide the shock and delight I felt. She nodded.

"Yes. And it should be soon," she said happily. Her smile grew wider. I had to beam at her in return.

"Alice, has he talked to you recently at all?" I asked after the euphoric moment. My words drowned the joy in the pain I felt.

"No. But in his defense, I haven't called or emailed him…Hey, Bella, where's your laptop?" she asked suddenly.

"On my bed. Help yourself," I told her. She flew up the stairs.

Edward had gotten me a laptop so that we could more easily keep in touch when he was hunting. He didn't like to take his cell phone, but he always brought his laptop. When Edward presented it to me, Charlie just glared at him. Charlie resented Edward and didn't approve of anything Edward did or said or gave to me. But Charlie _did_ approve of the Red Z06 Corvette Edward had gotten him, saying that it was an apology for the shit he'd put me through. But Edward had really given it to him to keep Charlie off my back for a while, and it worked.

Alice came tripping down the stairs a moment later, laptop in hand. She sat down on the sofa and opened it. She waited impatiently for it to start up, but when she was on, she got onto the internet, typing in her username and password. Her fingers flew over the keyboard so quickly, it looked as if she was shaking. I didn't look at what she typed, too afraid. Within seconds, she closed it and looked at me, a smile on her lips. I looked at her, trying to guess the smile.

"Bella, have you ever been to Utah?" she asked after a while. I shook my head.

"Well, there's a first for everything. Pack up. I'm going to school real quick to see if the teachers will give us the work we'll miss." And with that, she danced out the door. I ran up the stairs and into my room, pulling the duffel out from under the bed. I thrust my clothes and toiletries and various other things into the bag and zipped it closed. I ran clumsily down the stairs and into the kitchen to write a note to Charlie on the same notepad I'd written my excuse for Volterra on.

_Dad,_

_Going to Utah. It's an emergency. I'll get my work tonight. I'll call you. I'll be with Alice, by the way._

_Bella_

I waited impatiently in the living room, staring at the carpet. Charlie would be furious. He would threaten to ground me, but not kick me out. He'd never do that. But I could move out. But would I be willing to leave him all alone with Victoria still on the loose? Would I desert him just like my mom deserted him or Edward had deserted me?

Alice glided through the door, thick packets of paper in her hands and a triumphant smile on her face.

"Not only did I save your grades, and ultimately your chances of graduating, but I also tracked down the name of the hotel he's staying at," she said, eyes sparkling. I stood up and followed her to Carlisle's dark Mercedes, sliding into the passenger seat, breathing in the smell of the leather. She started the engine and we left, flying down the road and leaving the small town.

After a long stretch of silence, I finally decided to ask where we were going.

"Park City. The place is absolutely stunning this time of year. I swear, there's hardly a cloud in the sky, but I know how to keep from getting exposed. Besides, we'll want to have _some_ fun while we're there. Ah, the Alpine Slide…" She smiled at a distant memory. But I couldn't share in the joy. Would Edward even care that I was going to be there, so close? Or would I just be a nuisance, something to be forgotten, or worse, broken?

I stayed awake for a long while. I stared blankly as the lush green forests of Washington faded into different landscapes that were gone as quickly as they had come. But seconds later, it seemed, Alice was shaking me awake. I looked around and saw that we were parked. I noted that a trolley ran down the length of the hilly street we were on. We were parked across the street from an Old-West-style hotel. We got out and dashed into the doors. I looked up at the sky and noted that it was cloudy.

We stepped into the small lobby. The wallpaper was a shade of dark red and had small plumes scattered throughout. A small blonde woman was sitting at the desk, reading a romance novel. The woman on the cover had flowy brown hair and a low-cut shirt. She was in the arms of a man with long black hair and a dark tan. The curling gold script above the image declared that the book was called _Run Away. _It was an odd title, but I dismissed it instantly. The lady reading it looked up and smiled.

"Can I help you?" she asked in a high voice.

"Actually, can you do me a favor? There is a man staying here under the name of Edward. Can you tell me the room number he is staying in? I'm his sister and this is his fiancée. And we'd like to stay in a room near his." Alice flashed a gleaming smile.

"Edward Mason…" the woman muttered to herself. Of course he wouldn't stay under the name Cullen.

"Ah, yes. Room 142. And room number 137 is open. Is that alright?" the woman asked. We both nodded.

"Thank you so much," Alice said in a voice that was both grateful and sarcastic. The woman seemed happy that such a beautiful person would talk to her. Alice handed her a bundle of bills.

"No change," Alice told her before taking me out to get the bags. As we turned back to the hotel, bags in hand, I saw his face, peering at us through the curtains. Before he left his perch, I saw his jaw harden and his eyes glitter with fury. And that was worse than if he had ignored me altogether. It felt as if I was back at that fateful birthday party, with that single drop of blood oozing out of the paper cut. Only this time, the paper cut was a huge gash in my chest that couldn't stop bleeding.


	4. Smile

Smile

I curled up on the bed and let the relentless tears streak noiselessly down my face. His furious look. I couldn't shake it. Would he talk to me long enough to let me explain? Would he believe me? I wiped my eyes and glared at my pillow. It was stupid to just sit around and let the pain have me. This wasn't the same as when he'd left the last time. Sure, it hurt, but he was right there, in the same building! But at the same time it was worse, because I didn't have Jacob.

I just wanted to scream, right then. I wanted to just stand in Edward's doorway and shriek at him like a madwoman, to make him see how I felt. I wanted to hurt him, to hurt him so bad that he'd see exactly what he'd put me through._ I can't believe that asshole_, I thought furiously. I didn't understand where the anger bloomed from, but the sheer strength of it shocked me. It felt as if it should burn me and the world around me to a cinder. But of course it didn't. I rolled out of bed and onto my feet. I passed Alice who was watching a basketball game (Who knew that she liked watching sports? I sure didn't.) and walked out the door. I walked down the plush hallway and knocked on the door I stepped in front of.

When he opened the door, his face flashed through about a dozen emotions, mainly sadness, anger, awe, and finally, joy.

"Bella," he breathed. I ignored him and pressed past him and into the room. I sat on the sofa and patted the cushion beside me. He gently closed the door and say down next to me.

"Edward, I'm so, so sorry," I started. I blinked back the tears that threatened to spill.

"I realize that, love. Alice sent me and email explaining everything. But why the hell would you go into the forest with him?" he demanded, slightly annoyed.

"I don't know…he said he just wanted to take a walk…I had…no…idea…" I muttered, unable to stop the tears. I sobbed, doubling over in the pain that wracked through me. It all came from the hole.

"Bella, my Bella, I know that at times you can be an idiot, but I suppose it's not your fault. I told you I'd never leave again. I sure did a great job with that promise," he mumbled sarcastically.

"But, Bella, I am so sorry for leaving. Can you forgive me? Ever? After all of this?" His tone was slightly worried. He was probably afraid I'd say no.

"Yes. But you can't leave me again. _Ever_," I told him. His answering smile made all of the anger I'd felt earlier dissolve. I stared into his angel's face and pulled myself closer. He closed that little distance and wrapped his arms around me. I shivered from the cold, but snuggled deeper into him. He pressed his lips into my hair as I traced patterns into his pant leg. I was happier than I'd been in two months, and I couldn't resist the euphoric smile that played across my lips.

"Why did you think I'd ever choose Mike Newton over you?" I asked after an immeasurable moment, pulling away slightly. He stopped kissing the top of my head and looked down into me.

"I—I don't know why…" he said softly, his voice barely a murmur.

"But I told you that I love you…I never once mentioned Mike in that way at all. How could you think that I actually like him like _that_?" I asked, shocked. Edward just shook his head.

"I told you that I'd understand if you'd outgrow me, stop loving me, move on. I just didn't think it'd happen so soon. And then to find that you _hadn't_ moved on, but I left you anyway…It nearly killed me," he said with a rough, agonized voice. I touched my finger to his lips and silenced him. I then replaced my finger with my lips, feeling his mouth curl up in a smile as he pulled me closer to him.


	5. Speed

**I have such a bad habit of not typing anything at the bottom in an attempt at a chapter summary. Sometimes I'll type something, other times, it's completely not in my mind. Smartness. Read on, good people, read on!**

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"Bella, do we _have_ to go?" Alice pleaded as we walked to the car. My fingers were twined in Edward's as we slid into the backseat. Alice was upset because I was dragging her away from a day of shopping.

"Yes. You mentioned it, now I want to go," I insisted. She sighed and started the car. After a few minutes, I noticed a thick, white line curving on the mountain ahead of us. The Alpine Slide. I couldn't wait to go on.

"What's it like, Edward?" I asked him. He smiled.

"It's actually a lot of fun. You take a ski lift to the top of the hill and then, you go down on your sled. But be sure to press in with all of your weight when you get to the bottom, otherwise you'll just stop too early."

"Oh." Fun.

When we parked, we got out of the car and walked up the steps into the ski resort. Alice left us for the first store she saw. Edward and I went to pay for the tickets and made our way to the line.

The wait was very short. Before I knew it, my knees were being nudged by a black chair. Edward and I sat down and held hands on the way up, smiling down at the children in the pool below us. I kicked my leg in a steady rhythm. When I leaned in to kiss him, a flash went off. I opened my eyes and saw a sign that declared that the pictures would be shown at the very end of the lift. We ignored the sign and hopped off the lift. The workers handed us our plastic blue sleds. I clutched the metal loop and wheeled it behind me, switching hands often. Edward chuckled quietly and grabbed it. I pushed my hands into my pockets. When we reached the edge of the little trail that took us to the slides, I took my sled and turned to him with a devious smile.

"Let's race. If I win, then I get to drive to school for a month," I said happily.

"Okay," he said, taking me up on my offer. "And if _I _win, then _I _get to drive for a month."

"Deal." I took his hand and shook it as if he was my business partner instead of my true love. He laughed softly and set his sled on the slide. I did the same and clumsily got in. The man at the beginning of the descent took my tickets and waved me forward. I thrust all of my weight forward, going as fast as I could. I slowed at the curves, and sped up at the three hills. I flew for a moment, squealing with satisfaction. I glanced at Edward, seeing that he was having as much fun as me.

When I reached the bottom, I took his advice and pushed further forward. I turned around and saw him barely coming to a stop next to me. I stumbled out and dragged my sled forward. Edward caught up to me and grabbed my sled.

"HA! One whole month of my driving. Enjoy my truck," I chuckled.

"Dammit. Let's go again. I'll win you yet!" he laughed back. I shook my head, but got back in line anyway. We razzed each other while we waited for our turn to get onto the chair lifts. We sat back down and waved at the man who took our pictures. He was reading a book.

"What are you reading?" Edward called down.

"_Dracula_. Ever read it?" the man called back. We laughed like idiots.

"Yeah. Are you liking it so far?" I shouted.

"Yeah. Enjoy your ride."

We jumped off the chair lift and Edward took both of our sleds. We laughed about the thing that had just happened and continued to tease each other. We got back onto the slides and started at just the same time.

I was laughing hysterically by the time Edward came down the hill. I won again. He shrugged and kissed me as he replaced our sleds. He wrapped his arm around my waist and I did the same. I was so happy for the cloudy day. The clouds weren't holding rain, but they were opaque enough to block out the sun.

I was still laughing with Edward when I saw a shock of bright orange hair move through the crowd.


	6. Fire

**Heya! I've gotten a few reviews telling me to post sooner, and I tried. But I couldn't post last night because the computer wouldn't let me! Argh! Anyways, here you go...sorry about the cliffhanger!! B) Oh! And I recently got asked a question about the issue with Mike and the forest...let me tell you now in case you were worried about it, too: Mike did NOT rape Bella. He got close, but when she sawa Edward, she put her shirt back on and ran after him. Sorry about any confusion...Another worry or whattheheckever (THEE best word ever... Just now made up) you call it about Edward saying that he'd never leave...well, remember in Twilight where he talked about the emotion jealousy and how it was so much stronger for him? It was because he was feeling it for the first time, because it's fresh. And you know his temper and how he absolutely detests Mike. Hope it's all cleared up:) Sharky was here.**

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I clutched at Edward's arm, frozen in place. His stance became more defensive, more feral. A few people glanced over at us, but mainly, they ignored us.

_It can't be_, I thought. _It has to be a normal redhead_. But in the back of my mine and in Edward's crouch, I knew it wasn't an ordinary woman. My nails dug into him.

"No," I whispered, my voice barely audible to my own ears. He reached behind and gripped my arm, gently enough to mot hurt me, but persistent enough to tell me that something wasn't quite right. Suddenly, I had an idea.

"Edward, I want to see the pictures," I said in a quivering voice. He nodded slowly and turned to face me. He snaked a protective arm around my shoulders.

"Bella!" A high, familiar voice sounded from across the pavilion. Within seconds, Alice was with us, ticket in hand. Edward's arm squeezed me, so I crushed my fingers into his shoulder. My hand started to cramp up.

"Bella, I am so sorry. So, so very sorry for this," Alice chanted. Her voice was thin and it sounded as if she'd cry if she could. I shivered at her words and tone. I closed my eyes and pulled from my months of acting normal when Edward first left and carefully arranged my face to form a smile.

"Let's go see those pictures," I declared, pushing forward in the line. Would she dare try to get at us in a public place? The crowd thinned a bit and I caught a glimpse of Victoria's face, wild, seething with anger, and hungry. For a moment, all I saw was the hatred that glittered in her eyes, but then, I noticed the color, black with ruby at the edges, so similar to James's eyes back in Phoenix…

I pushed the memory away and stepped forward. Alice and Edward followed and surrounded me. Edward's freezing arm pulled me into him. I looked up and saw that his eyes were wide and frantic. He was _afraid_ of her. She had made him _fear_ for me.

And, for a moment, I was filled with the same rage that burned through me last night. _How dare she do this_, I thought furiously.

I noticed Alice stiffen her posture beside me. I looked around and saw the fiery hair surge forward. I nearly shoved the people in the line out of the way. Would she even try to attack me with Alice and Edward right there? Would it stop her?

We rushed ahead and hopped onto the chairlift. I nearly fell off as I settled my weight, but the lift stopped rocking after a while. I looked at Alice and saw that she was holding a small, flat box. At first, I couldn't tell what it was, but then I saw her take out a match. I leaned close to Edward.

"What are you planning?" I breathed into his ear.

"A distraction," he murmured. His gaze was fixed on the unnatural flame running beneath us.

"A distraction?" I asked stupidly.

"We have fraud, burglary, breaking and entering, grand theft auto, and many other crimes on our list of felonies. Why not add arson to the list as well?" he joked. I just gaped at him and the stupid plan.

"Why the hell do you need to set fire to the resort to distract Victoria?" I demanded.

"I have a better-than-average grasp of human nature, Bella." He threw a sly smile at me. "They'll be frantic to get away, causing great confusion. And seeing as how your features are common enough, it will most likely draw her away. We'll leave tonight." His plan was clearly set in stone, so there was no use arguing.

"Where will we go?" I asked quietly. _I'll call Charlie tonight_, I ordered myself.

"No idea yet. Possibly out of the country. Would you care to go to Europe?" he asked casually, obviously not caring about anything but getting me away.

"Europe?" I asked, slightly staggered.

"Yes. How about France?" he suggested, chatting about the pros and cons of the seemingly beautiful country while I thought. What about the Volturi? Would they only be stationed in Italy or all throughout Europe? What if they did manage to find us? Would they kill us? Report us? Would we get away with my mortality if they knew it'd only be a matter of weeks if I played my cards right?

Edward touched my arm, making me flinch. Had he thought of the Volturi at all? I followed his stare to the ground and prepared to jump off. I stuck my feet forward and hopped off, dashing out of the way before the lift could hit me. I turned and looked at the beautiful city spread out beneath us. There were small sparkling buildings scattered around. It was breathtaking. I wanted to stay, but my stomach growled. Stupid human frailties.

Edward placed a cool hand on the small of my back and led me to another chair lift.

"Well," he muttered to Alice, "it seems we won't need those matches after all." I smiled to myself as he took my hand and led me forward. But instead of stopping, he veered off into the woods.

The thick trees pushed forward, eager to engulf us in their dark embrace as he slung me onto his back and plunged forward into the trees, whooping and hollering, laughing at the confused expressions of the tourists above that couldn't locate the source of the noises. I grinned and pressed my cheek to his as Alice ran behind. We stopped about twenty feet from the opening in the trees, and Edward peeled me off of him and grabbed my hand. Alice danced next to me.

We emerged from the forestry, all wearing gleeful smiles. The smiles faded and fell the instant we spotted the black eyes and red hair. We surged through the crowd and left the small plaza. We were soon in the Mercedes, trying to keep ourselves from being afraid while Edward massaged his temples, fighting to control his temper, too.


	7. See

**This chapter is in Edward's point of view. Hehe... And just thought I'd tell you, I'm posting as fast as I can! I'm not a very fast typer. But anyways... I absolutely adore Nathan's character, he reminds me so much of my cousin when we were growing up. I can't wait to see what happens to him. Read on, good people! Sharky was here.**

* * *

I stared at Bella in the rain. She stood in the middle of Main Street, staring up at it. Her brown eyes closed and a smile fell upon her lips. She smelled so good in the rain, but I ignored it as best I could as Alice pulled her out of the way of the trolley. They both ran under the awning of a boutique, laughing like hyenas. I smiled and grabbed Bella's hand. She rubbed circles into my skin with her thumb. So warm…

I glanced over at Alice who had been surprisingly quiet. I peeked into her head. No vision. She looked at Bella. Her gaze was fixed on something rather far away. I followed her stare and froze. That red hair, bright as a flame, was coming slowly down the hill. She was walking slowly for even a human. I tightened my grip on Bella, grabbed Alice, and towed them into the hotel. When the clerk wasn't looking, I threw Bella over my shoulder and ran upstairs. Alice got her bags and I grabbed mine and Bella's. We ran back down, putting the keys and money on the desk, darting out before she noticed anything

I gently tossed Bella into the passenger seat of the Mercedes and got in, starting the car in a single motion. I sped down Main Street and left the town in record time. I looked over at Bella, whose eyes had grown wide with shock and, quite possibly, fear. I tried, futilely, I might add, to read her mind. Deeming the task impossible, I took her hand and sped up.

"What are you thinking?" I asked after a long stretch of silence Though the answer was fairly obvious, I wanted to hear her voice so I could relax. I wanted to see if _she_ would relax, to unclench her shoulders and jaw, to calm her pulse.

"Well, mostly, I'm thinking of Victoria, clearly. But I'm thinking that I need to call Charlie, too," she mumbled. She reached back with her free hand to get Alice's cell phone. It was in her hand already, flipped open, waiting. Bella took it and slowly punched in the number and held it to her ear. She waited.

"Hello?" a sleepy voice muttered. I looked at the dashboard clock. It was eleven o'clock, ten o'clock in Washington. Late enough for the Chief.

"Dad?" Her voice was gentle and hesitant.

"Isabella Marie Swan, where are you?!" he thundered over the line

"Relax, Dad. I'm still in Utah. Sorry about nor calling. Alice's phone didn't have any reception."

"When are you coming home?" His tone was instantly calmer.

"I—I don't know, Dad. There was an…emergency. Hopefully, we'll be back this week. If not, then three weeks a most. It's really hard to get out of town, Dad. I'll call you." She snapped the phone shut. I took my hand from hers and placed it on her shoulder. She smiled and leaned her head against the window. Her eyes were closed and her breathing grew slow and relaxed.

"Bella?" I asked quietly. She didn't answer. Asleep. I slowly took my hand off of her shoulder and placed it on the steering wheel.

"Edward, how long to the airport?" Alice asked.

"Twenty minutes. Call them and get the tickets. We're leaving tonight."

"Tonight. To Europe. Where exactly?"

"I don't care. Choose. And hurry! She's running. We don't have very much time," I snapped, pushing the speedometer faster. Alice's hand held the phone to her ear. I ignored her and scanned the area, searching for Victoria's mind. Nothing. A snapping noise and a smirk in the rearview mirror let me know that she had the tickets. The next flight was in two hours. Plenty of time to feed Bella, I suppose.

I parked in the garage after a long, silent drive. Emmett and Jasper were waiting against one of the huge cement pillars. I gave them a quick hello and the keys to the Mercedes. Bella's eyes opened. She looked around, confused.

"Where are we? Seattle?" she asked, recognizing that we were in an airport. I wrapped my arm around her waist when she swayed forward unsteadily. Alice laughed quietly.

"No, the Salt Lake City airport. You're going to Europe," Emmett chuckled. She nodded, finally understanding. She shuffled her feet, said goodbye to my brothers, and let me lead her to the nearest food source. We went up the escalator and Bella leaned heavily against my side. I moved her forward when the escalator ended and led her to the nearby Cinnabon kiosk. She awakened long enough to order a coffee and a cinnamon bun. I paid and towed her to a long row of chairs near the gate.

I waited impatiently to board as Bella dozed, her head on my shoulder. Alice sat, as silent and still as a stone, looking to see if Victoria would attack. I ignored her and looked around me. A woman sat across from our trip, bouncing a whining boy on her knee. Her face was crumpled in pain. She was going to Los Angeles for her father's funeral. Beside the single mother, entirely oblivious to everything, say a business man typing on a laptop that perched on his knees. He was going to Boston for a meeting. Behind me was a little boy. He was frightened and excited. He was going to visit his father in New York, but he was making the flight alone. He was five years old.

The little boy whimpered quietly, deciding to be more afraid than excited. Bella's eyes opened and warmed as she turned around to face the boy. She took a sip of her coffee.

"Hi. Uh, where's your mommy?" she asked.

"She's at home. I'm flying to my daddy, all by myself." His tone was both proud and nervous.

"Do you want to wait with us?" she offered. He nodded and let her lift him over the backs of the chairs and into her lap.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Nathan. I'm five," he declared, holding up his hand, all five digits outstretched.

"Well, I'm Bella, this is Edward, and that's Alice," she said, nodding to each of us in turn. I smiled and gave a small wave. Alice smiled, but kept searching the future for attacks.

"Where you gonna go?" Nathan asked. I smiled.

"We're going to another country," I informed the child.

"Really?" he asked, wide-eyed. Bella chuckled and tousled his hair.

"Really. How 'bout you?" she asked.

"New York. My daddy lives there."

"Really?" I laughed, quieting myself. "Are you excited?"

"Uh-huh. It's gonna be real fun 'cause my daddy's cool. He takes pictures." A huge, gap-toothed smile lit up his face. I smiled, too. I pulled a camera out of Bella's duffle and pointed at her and Nathan. Alice ducked into the frame and they all three grinned.

But, before I snapped the image, Alice took the camera and demanded I take her place. We smiled and a flash went off. She handed me the camera and I saw the image that would never be real, forever make-believe. And I couldn't decide if I enjoyed it or not.


	8. Wait

**Got me a short and simple filler. Nathan goes to his dad. Dang it. And I wanted to see more of him. Who knows? Maybe we will? Read on, people! Sharky was here.**

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I stared out the window as we flew over sleeping cities. Nathan was beside me, sleeping quietly in his seat. I smiled and laid my hand on Edward's arm. He grinned at me and kissed my forehead. Alice tapped my shoulder and woke Nathan. We were landing. 

"Wha—what's happening?" he muttered. I smiled even more at him.

"We're landing, Nathan. Is someone going to pick you up at the airport?" Alice asked. He nodded fervently.

"Yeah. My daddy. He's real cool." The same smile filled his face again.

Nathan's eyes slipped closed for a moment and popped open when the plane thudded against the asphalt runway. We redid the safety belts across our laps, I fastening Nathan's. I waited excitedly to lane. Nathan bounced nervously in his seat. When the plane was no longer in motion, the four of us rushed out into the stifling heat of summer in the frighteningly crowded city. Alice carried Nathan, his head flopping tiredly against her shoulder. She grinned as we went to the baggage claim. Edward took little Nathan's bag from the carousel.

His eyes scanned the airport, finally resting upon a tall, lanky man with shaggy blond hair. We went up to him and Alice handed Nathan to the confused man.

"We met him in the Salt Lake City airport and let him stay with us," Edward explained. A smile was given to us, fairly similar to Nathan's.

"Thank you so much. How can we thank you?" he asked. I smiled.

"Let us take a picture of you two," I suggested, fishing my camera out of my pocket. They smiled, posed, and let my snap a photo. I slid the camera back into my pocket and looked at Nathan, so close to crying. I grinned as he ran up to me and wrapped his aroma around my neck. I squeezed him to me before passing him to Edward and Alice. After the little moment, we made our way to our connection, missing a member in our group.

As we boarded the plane, I snapped the window shade shut, for Alice and Edward's sake, of course. Throughout the trip, I fell within the darkness of sleep, only to be awakened by Alice and Edward's hushed conversation. I stayed awake and listened intently to catch their quiet murmurs.

"But she knows, Alice," Edward was hissing, his voice alarmed.

"Yes, but there's no way—" Alice muttered, cut off by Edward's honey voice.

"There's always a way." His tone was dark, enraged, and unnaturally seductive.

"But she won't attack any time soon, though. I don't see it happening."

"Just wait for her decision." I cringed at the venom in his voice. I decided to wake up.

"Edward?" I fought to keep my voice from trembling. He smiled.

"Have I ever told you that you are a horrendous actress?" he chuckled.

"Yes, I believe you have," I mumbled. The smile grew. He grabbed my hand, opened the shade a bit, and pointed out the window to the beautiful French landscape. His skin glittered, but he tucked it into my pocket when anyone looked our way. He leaned near me, his lips so close to mine. He gently put his lips on mine and spoke in a whisper.

"Please marry me, Bella," he breathed. I thought. When he had first proposed, I froze on the spot, but now, I wanted it, wanted it badly. I wanted it like a heroin addict needed his fix.

"I will," I sighed against him. His mouth smiled and he pulled away, giving me a moment to quiet my heart.

"Really?" he asked, jubilant. I nodded carefully. I smiled eagerly. I was so excited to spend my life with Edward, that for a moment, I forgot about the deal he had made during that first proposal.

"But, frankly, I'd like to wait. Until we get back to Forks, I mean," he said softly. I nodded excitedly now, throwing my arms around his neck.

"I'd wait forever," I whispered, silently laughing at the cheesy line, but smiling because it was so true.

"A week. We'll be back in Forks in a week. And we'll get married whenever and however we want," he said, the grin evident in his voice, if not on his grave face. I kissed the cold of his skin.

"I can wait a week," I told him.

"Can you wait at least six months for a bite?" he teased. I smiled, remembering the deal. It added to the euphoric mood.

"I can wait that long."


	9. Je T'aime

**If it seems a little bit distracted, it's because I'm watching SNL. Excellent show. Love it... Friggin hilarious. Anyways... I'm kinda proud of this chapter... I love the hotel. Sorry, but I do. It's awesome. Uh...what was I gonna say... Oh! How could I forget? I wanted to give a big 'ol "THANKEE!!!" to all of the nice people who sent me nice reviews. They make me happy. Read on!**

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We got off the plane, I stumbling through the airport. Edward's hand left mine and lightly stroked my hair before he rested his arm around my waist. I barely heard Alice's chuckle. We got to the baggage claim, grabbing out bags. Alice led us out and straight to a cherry red convertible. I, of course had no idea what kind it was, so I didn't dwell on it as Edward and I slid into the tan leather of the back seat. He leaned into me.

"_Je t'aime_," he whispered. A smile was in his voice. As expected, I curved my spine so I was looking straight into his ocher eyes.

"What?" I asked, not sure if I should be offended.

"_Je t'aime_. It's French for 'I love you,'" he laughed. Alice tried not to crack up. I carefully fell into his chest and laid my head on his shoulder.

"Oh, well, _je t'aime_ too," I said, mixing French and English. Alice let out a loud laugh. I glared at her and noticed for the first time that we were speeding through the beautiful old cities.

"Bella, it's '_je t'aime aussi.' _Not 'too,'" Edward corrected with a huge smirk. I flushed crimson.

"Fine, then. _Je t'aime aussi_," I muttered. He kissed my temples and put his arms over me like a cold, protective, perfect blanket. I smiled.

"_Et tu es belle_," he breathed into my ear. I turned my head and felt his form shaking with laughter.

"And you are beautiful," he translated for me. I smiled and relaxed. I breathed in the delicious scent coming off of his skin, coming from his breath.

"_Tu es…_ What's the word for 'beautiful' for a man?" I asked.

"_Beau_."

"_Tu es beau_," I said quietly. I had to laugh. He had a ride in a possibly stolen car into a French lesson. He stared down at me and my peculiar outburst. His confused expression made me laugh even harder. I sighed after a moment and relaxed against him. My eyes closed and it seemed like seconds later when Edward was shaking me awake.

The car was stopped. I carefully got out and looked around. We were parked in front of a very beautiful building, very old, very elegant, very expensive. Edward took mine and his bags and Alice took hers. We went in. The lobby was grandeur itself, and fairly intimidating. I looked around at the ancient frescos, the huge chandelier with gobs of exquisite crystal strung, the antiques that were scattered throughout. In the middle of the huge room with the cathedral ceilings, was a large granite-topped desk with gilded wood for the base. After a moment, Alice walked up to us. I didn't ever notice that she had left in the first place. She dropped a set of keys into Edward's waiting hand.

"I'm rooming right next to you. Care to go check them out?" she offered, leading us to the waiting elevator. After a short wait, we all three stepped out of the little box and into the elegant hallway. The walls were a rich cream colour with thin gold and ivy strips. The wooden floor reminded me of the floor in the Cullen home. There was a cream rug in the center of the hallway to quiet footsteps on the wooden floor. We stopped in front of a white and gilded door. Alice stepped through and let us follow.

It was gorgeous with Persian rugs and picture windows covered in thick rose silken drapes. The sofas surrounded the completely modern television and stereo. In the corner was an antique writing desk. It was stunning. After a while, Edward went into our own room. It was as beautiful, if not _more_ beautiful than Alice's.

The same muted colours were in this room, too, but everything seemed softer. The huge windows revealed a lush, green landscape dotted with the weathered castles and chateaus and small bodies of water. The blue sky seemed to go on forever. I felt as if the sky was huge and grand and never-ending in Arizona, but it had nothing on the sheer beauty and age of the French landscape spread out before me.

I left the window and went into the bedroom. The bed was huge, covered in a silk comforter that matched the colours throughout. There were dozens of pillows piled on top. The curling footboard and headboard were elegantly carved and matched the wood of the floor almost exactly. In each corned was a small antique chair covered in cream or rose satin. The bathroom was bigger than any other hotel bathroom I'd ever been in. The bathtub was gargantuan and the mirror was so clear and crisp that it seemed that the sink below it was never used. The entire hotel had an old quality, but it was comforting.

"Bella, come here," Edward called from the front room. I walked out and saw that he was holding something in his hand. Alice was perched on the chair to the desk that must have been in every room. I stood in front of him, barely expecting what happened next.

He sank down on one knee and looked up. His smile was pure, gleaming, hesitant, and very tempting. But the gesture was as unexpected as it was shocking. He held out the thing in his hand and opened it. Inside was a ring. The band was white gold and in the very center were three beautiful stones, a diamond surrounded by two little sapphires. A flowing plume was engraved into each side of the shining band.

"Marry me, Bella," he said in a voice like honey on velvet. I stared at him incredulously.

"Didn't I already say yes?" I asked, still staggered.

"You did, but I wasn't sure. Marry me, Bella," he persisted. Instead of saying anything, I thrust my hand forward. He wordlessly slid the ring onto my third finger. A promise, not only of marriage, but also of the bite that would turn me immortal. And that gesture said all the words that we needed to say. If only the moment would last forever.

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**Dont' know where I came up with the idea of the ring, but I'd love to have a ring like that in real life. Oh, and the French is all real. Directly from the worksheet my French teacher gave me. Skills, and you know it. "You forgot one thing... I just started using laser cats again." Haha... Funny show... SNL is the friggin best. Sharky out!**


	10. Manipulation

**Bum bum bum!!! A mysterious guest... It's not that hard of a guess. Oh, and a clumsy moment from Bella. More clumsy than you can imagine, but then again, seeing as it is Bella... Haha!! But I actually like how it turned out. Wonder how many chapters I'll end up posting tonight... Read on, dear peoples!**

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A soft knock at the door made me jump. Edward stood and stepped forward to answer it. And there, in the beautiful soft hallway, she stood. Her eyes widened and seared into me. I couldn't look away from the burgundy colour. The irises were a tad lighter, but she still looked hungry. Her red hair looked almost suitable in a slicked back bun. She was in a black suit with a navy blue turtleneck beneath it. All dark colours. No stains would show.

"Victoria," I gasped. She smiled, a horrible, evil, frightening sneer. She tried to step forward, but Edward's hand pushed her back.

"Edward, poor Edward, I simply wish to speak with your dear _Bella_," she said, leering at my name. I was shocked to hear her voice. I had never heard it before, and it was sweet with a constant hint of menace. Not something I expected from her.

"You can speak from the doorway," Edward insisted. She sighed.

"I am not sorry for what James did and I am not sorry for Laurent's death. I regret nothing of the past year, and I am not here to apologize. But I'm not here to kill you, either. Believe it or not, I have found another mate. I am here merely to tell you that I have decided to cease all attempts at attacking you." Her voice sounded so sincere, her eyes looked completely earnest, but I didn't believe a word. But Edward did, much to my absolute horror. Alice jumped up and stood by me. I barely saw the box of matches in her hand before they disappeared in her pocket.

Edward dropped his hand from her chest and she rushed forward. I tried not to, but instinct took over and I ran. I tripped over the rug and crashed to the wooden floor. Before anyone could move, even Edward or Alice, Victoria was hunched over me. Edward took a step forward and a vicious growl erupted from somewhere within his ribs.

"Ah, you'll not want to do that, Mr. Cullen," Victoria chuckled darkly and without humor. He froze. A slow, easy smile stretched across her wicked face and an evil glint flashed in the slowly darkening eyes.

"W-why not?" he stuttered, obviously trying to decide whether attacking her would work.

"Because, if you try to attack me, your poor little human will suffer greatly. It would take a single bite to send her through the worst of suffering before I decide to kill her. And you wouldn't want to see her go through that without even the hope that she'll be with you for all of eternity, would you?" I was shocked. She had planned her torture so well. And she had thrown my love completely into confusion.

"You monster. What the hell did she do to you?" Alice screeched, angrier than I'd ever seen her.

"She was born and your brother there protected her, getting the love of my immortality killed! And _that_ is what she did to me!" Victoria shouted at her. My eyes widened.

Suddenly, Alice was staring at Edward, her expression shocked and a trifle angry.

"No, I can't." Her voice was strained and she shot a glance at me. Edward nodded in approval and possibly encouragement. He took a deep breath and stepped forward. Victoria came closer, her teeth bared and glistening in the light. Without thinking, I rolled away from her and straight through the window. I screamed as I fell. My eyes snapped shut as I waited for the impact that would kill me. The impact came, but it wasn't what I expected. I opened my eyes and saw Alice's face. It was strained.

I saw Edward push Victoria through the gaping hole I had left in the window. She obviously wasn't expecting it as she thudded against the ground. She tried to get away from something in Edward's hand, but he threw it at her. She was suddenly aflame. Before my very eyes, the creature who had tried to kill me was burned to a pile of ash. My mind froze and I unthinkingly screamed. I didn't even notice the tears streaming down my face.

After another hysterical moment, I was shrieking in the red car as we sped away. Away from the hotel, away from the still burning ash that was Victoria, and away from the memories. The simple move that Edward had used to manipulate Victoria and the stupid, instinct that had thrown me out the window had caused _her_ demise and not mine. For the first time, I looked down at myself. Nothing was broken. I didn't feel the horrendous pain that came from broken bones. But I was covered in shallow gashes. Nothing too deep, surprising enough. A few tears in my clothes, but nothing too bad. There wasn't even any glass in my cuts. I had fallen out of a window and had survived, mostly unscathed. With the exceptions of the cuts and the bruises I would have from hitting Alice's arms so hard.

And I was going to marry Edward within months. Everything was suddenly better. The glory of light glowed from everything, and I found the screeches coming from me dissolving into pure content silence as we drove to the airport. The shortest vacation I'd ever been on, but also the best.

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**Don't know why she fell out the window, but I was trying to find a way to write it in. But yay for Victoria's demise! And boo for her lying and Edward being not bright and assuming that she was being honest. Guess she's a good liar altogether. Guess she figured out how to "wall up" her mind, just like Alice. Either way, she played dirty, but it served Bella for the best. Haha... Glowing moment. All is good. And I hope that something else happens. Like the Volturi. Ooh! I already have the wedding scene in my head! Just don't know when it's gonna happen... Hehe...**


	11. Author's Note!

**A random author's note for your enjoyment!**

**Okay, so it just hit me: no one has sent me anything about Utah. No notes, no reviews. But I don't care. I'll talk about it anyway. Well, just some of Main Street. And the Alpine Slide... Ah, good memories. Anyways... Main Street in Park City, Utah, is where they hold the Sundance Film Fesival, but more specifically, they hold it in the Egyptian Theater. It's a very cool old theater where they hold "Cowboy Night" every Wednesday, as far as I'm concerned... Anyways. FYI, "Cowboy Night" isn't some cheesy thing, it's a very funny show, or rather, a very funny series of skits and songs, like "I Just Don't Look Good Naked Anymore..." Haha! Funny memories. Carrying on.**

**The Alpine Slide is killer. It's located in a beautiful ski resort. In the summer, the Alpine Slide is fun. No snow, but lots of slide. I mean, it's one of the longest in the world, lots of turns and a handful of hills and a heckofalotta fun. I mean, you can get some serious air on those small hills! But, unfortunately, the end sucks because of how you have to push down really hard on the thing to make it go. Otherwise, annoying cousins will crash into you and mock you forever. And ever. And mention it in front of the somewhat cute snowcone guy, much to your embarrassment. And then you will hit them on the ski lift and they will laugh as it rocks when it stops. Oddly specific, but it wil happen if you have EVIL cousins like mine. Rant done.**

**I may have been to Park City, but I have NEVER been to France. So if anything from the part with the connection and stuff seem off, it's because I have no personal experience and it's all guesswork for me. Uh, what else. Oh!**

**Nathan. The awesomest kid...EVER!!! And he shall return!!! I hope.**

**Sharky out!**


	12. Surprise!

**Lots of short stuff. Frankly, this is basically a filler. Oh, and FYI, I am DONE updating today! Hehe...**

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When we got home from the very long trip, Charlie wasn't surprised to see Edward with me. And for some strange reason, he was acting…grateful towards him. What did Alice say to him?

I asked her the next day at lunch. I had survived four hours of questions from people, Mike especially (that boy was clueless. Did he not notice my resentful glares?) about the strange and sudden ring on my finger. It was Jessica who asked straight out.

"So, did Edward Cullen propose or something?" she whispered in Spanish. I smiled.

"As a matter of fact, yes he did," I said quietly. She tried to suppress her excited squeals. A tiny squeak erupted, but no one noticed. A euphoric smile invaded my face.

At lunch, I asked Alice what she had told Charlie.

"Well, I knew he'd be furious otherwise at Edward, so I told him that you tripped and fell out of a window and Edward caught you. I just didn't tell him that instead of catching you, he killed a sadistic vampire that was intent on murdering you," she chuckled. I shivered and Edward hugged me to him.

Those few weeks before graduation passed in a frenzied blur. Work, school, dates, the Cullens', home, the constants of everyday life. Charlie was angry when he saw the ring on my finger, but shockingly enough, he said that he couldn't be happier for me. And that made me ecstatic. Alice and Rosalie and Esme and I would sit in Alice's bedroom or my kitchen for hours, flipping through bridal magazines, making plans for the impending wedding. The dragged me to many bridal shops, making me try on dozens of gowns for each trip until we finally found the perfect—I mean in the _literal_ sense of the word—dress one day.

It was long and flowy. The bodice was a close-fitting corset made of satin. The entire basic gown was satin. But the bodice was strapless and stitched with tiny pearls in elegant designs that swirled and curved abstractly. Ribbons ran from the top of the corset to the bottom in vertical stripes beneath the beading. The skirt puffed out slightly, but only a little bit. It was simple with a short train. It swished when I walked. The veil was plain white tulle, edged in the same pearls that decorated my bodice. It was connected to a tiara with orange blossoms, in honor of Edward's era. I couldn't wait to wear it. Now, to decide the bridesmaids' dresses…

The wedding was three weeks away and graduation was a week away. That was the day the Volturi decided to visit their dear friend Carlisle.

Alice had told me that they rarely left their city, so I figured there was an ulterior motive behind the visit. I knew it wasn't purely social. Were they coming to check up on me? I realized the answer on the day of graduation.

All morning, Charlie badgered me with questions. Where would the wedding be? Would I go to college? Who was paying? What should he wear to the graduation ceremony? I answered all of them with simple answers. I don't know. Yes. I don't know. A suit.

The day was a colourful flash. Before even realizing it, I was standing in line, waiting for my diploma. Edward was waiting for me. When I was handed my diploma, I scanned the people in the gym. Charlie and the Cullens were there. My mother couldn't come, but she told Charlie to take lots of pictures. I recognized a lot of the high school students that sat, waiting to go to a party or something. But the most frightening thing was that I saw Aro, Marcus, Caius, Felix, and Alec. The rest had stayed behind in Volterra. But I froze when I saw them. But Aro was smiling at me. Would they dare kill anyone here? Surely Carlisle talked to him?

But when I went up to them, the surprise was a good one.

"Bella, dear Bella. What a proud day for you, I suppose. But I see you are still human," Aro said, his tone happy and confused.

"Actually, not for long. In two weeks, I'll be married, and within three or four, I'll be one of you," I said, flashing them the ring. It had taken a while to get used to the fact that A) I was getting married to Edward and B) I was going to be a vampire.

"Really? Well, we most definitely have to come to the wedding!" Aro said excitedly. I smiled, despite who I was talking to.

"That'd be great, Aro." I gave him the time and place Edward had helped me choose. We chatted happily about what was happening in our lives. When Edward came up to us, I was laughing at a joke Aro had told. My fairy tale ending was coming fast and my new beginning was lurking just behind it. And I couldn't wait.


	13. Aisle

**Short and sweet wedding scene. The fun is in the next three chapters. Oh, yea. Party scene, and of course, the BIG scene. Totally, man.

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**

A week before the wedding, the Cullens and I flew out to Europe again, this time, to celebrate the joyous, frightening, imminent occasion. This time, we were going to Scotland. The hotel we stayed at was an ancient castle, very cozy and slightly modern. We did a lot of sightseeing. What we visited the most were cathedrals and chapels. It took me a long time to figure out why.

One day on the vacation, I awoke beside Edward, gasping. I looked at him.

"What day is it?" I asked. His seraphic face grinned at me.

"Today's the day," was all he murmured before leaning down to kiss me. I touched my lips to his before it sank in.

"Holy _crap_!" I cried as I rolled over. I fell out of the soft bed and onto the rug. Before helping me to my feet, Edward stared at me a moment, laughing maniacally. I glared at him when he stuck out his hand, but I took it and hoisted myself up.

"Good morning, Miss Graceful," he laughed. I glowered at him.

"Good morning to you too, Prince Not-so-charming," I retorted, cracking a smile. Before I got the chance to kiss him again, Alice shouted for me to go to her and get ready. I kissed his cheek.

"See you at the altar," I said before ducking out the door. Alice gave me a granola bar and juice box for breakfast as she ushered me down the hallway and to Rosalie's room, and ultimately, the vast bathroom she had claimed. They sat me down in front of a mirror (thank God for that. What would I do otherwise?) and began scrubbing at my face with something that smelled vaguely floral. After they had rubbed my face raw and red, Rose rubbed something cold onto my face.

"What is this?" I asked after a while.

"Moisturizing lotion. You're going to look perfect, if not surreal," Rose said happily. I suppose it's a good thing to be on her good side. Alice had some pale powder in her hands that she dusted all over my face. Then came the colourful makeup. Rose lined my eyes in silver and brushed on white shadow that made my eyes look bigger and brighter than they were. Then, she swiped some pink stuff onto my cheeks, possibly to make my face brighter and pinker, though I didn't need any artificial blush, of course. Alice painted some rose-coloured lipstick onto my lips.

And then, my hair. They poked and prodded with pins, a curling iron, combs, brushes, and various balms and sprays until they declared me perfect. My face looked different somehow. Lighter and more translucent. My hair was coiled into an elaborate style on the top of my head. They had stuck little white crystals throughout my locks, and frankly, Rosalie was right. I did look surreal, inhuman, beautiful.

Then came the dress. That part didn't take any help until it was time to lace the corset-style bodice. Alice pulled at the strings until it pushed my almost not-existent stomach in and my small chest up. I had curves that I didn't even know I had. They slid the crown of orange blossoms into my hair, adjusting the veil so it fell just perfectly. I slid my feet into my new beaded white pumps and walked out to the hall. And I froze. Because there, waiting patiently in a black tuxedo with his wild curls mostly tamed, was Charlie. I ran up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, careful not to smudge my makeup. He pushed me away gently and looked me over.

"Bella, you look…" he trailed off, still appraising me. His eyes looked almost teary and his grin was so big it looked as if it hurt his face.

"You look good, yourself," I said playfully. He crooked my arm and I threaded mine through the loop and took a deep breath.

"Are you ready to get married?" he asked, his voice happy and sad. I took another breath.

"Not even a little. Let's go," I laughed, making my way outside. We stepped across the small stone pathway that led to the church where Edward and I were exchanging vows. I stood at the door and listened for the first chords of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata." It was utterly beautiful and also a little unexpected. People would think that we'd choose a cheery song, but I wanted that song specifically. The song began.

_Breathe_, I told myself as I took a step forward._ You want to do this. He's waiting. You'll have forever. _An ecstatic smile crossed my face as I slowly made my way to Edward, the altar, and my future of immortality. Alice was just before me in a strikingly vivid scarlet dress. It wasn't very long, it fell to her calves, and swished when she walked. The top was a strapless corset to match mine. Rosalie matched her and so did Esme and a girl I barely recognized. It took me a while to realize who it was, but when I did, my smile grew. _Angela is here for my wedding_, I thought happily. After that, I saw a lot of people from Forks, and even my mother and Phil. I was truly blissful. When I arrived at the altar, Edward smiled at me lovingly. He took my hands in his cold ones.

We exchanged our vows. I couldn't stop grinning when I said the words "I do" coming from each of our mouths. We slid the rings onto each others' fingers.

"You may now kiss the bride," the priest said, the smile in his rich accented voice. A Scotsman. Of course. But when Edward leaned in to kiss me, the world fell away, melted into vivid colour and sound. There was nothing but Edward, myself, the kiss, and the silent words that the embrace held. When he pulled away, a huge cheer erupted from everyone. I whooped and threw my arms around Edward. I touched my lips to his once more.

"I love you," I whispered. He smiled and touched the small of my back.

"_Je t'aime_," he sighed into my ear before we made our way to the reception.


	14. Celebrate

**Two more chapters and possibly an epilogue. But worry not. I shall be back, if I get more good reveiws!! happydance**

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The reception was held behind the castle, in the beautiful old gardens, among the roses and other blooming flowers. Alice, Rose, Esme, and Renée had decorated everything, turning it into a paradise. The buffet was full of food Esme the wonder-cook had prepared, but I didn't eat. I was waiting anxiously to see what song Edward had chosen for our first dance as a married couple. _Married couple_.

A voice came over the speakers, interrupting the song that was playing.

"Will everyone please clear the dance floor. It's time for the first dance of Mister an Missus Edward Mason Cullen!"

Everyone cheered and shouted and hollered for a moment. I looked at the sky. Twilight. The sky was darkening and was shot through with streaks of orange and pink and lavender. Everything quieted when the song started. The first chords of my lullaby played and I was speechless. Edward stood up from where we were sitting and held out his hand.

"Care to dance with me?" he asked, all charm and grace. I nodded, took his hand, and found myself twirling. I was right up against Edward's chest and staring into his beautiful as we danced. After a while, people began filling the dance floor and swaying awkwardly, except for the vampires and their partners. I laughed to see Charlie dancing with Esme. Carlisle was dancing with Rose, Alice was twirling with Emmett, and Jasper was dancing with Angela. Both of them were having a good time, and he didn't look strained in any way. He had gotten better managing his thirst since my birthday party. Everyone was happily chattering and distracted, so Edward picked me up and carried me away to a lone part of the garden. It was just me, him, and a small stereo in a little clearing surrounded by flowers. We sat down n the stone bench and looked at the sky. It was cloudy, so you couldn't see the stars or the moon, just the light coming from it. I sighed, not sure if I was happy or afraid.

"What is it?" he asked, almost nervously.

"I'm happy, so happy I can't believe it because I get to spend forever with you. But I'm also sad. I have to leave everyone and everything behind don't I?" I asked after a moment of quiet. He placed a reassuring hand across my shoulders and softly kissed my head.

"Not necessarily. I mean, there are visits. You just won't be able to visit often, for obvious reasons. But think about it: what you're getting in turn." And it was true. I was getting a hell of a lot. A new husband, a new family, a new _life_. I had everything I had ever wanted and more.

Suddenly and wordlessly, he stood and pressed play on the stereo. The lullaby played again. He picked me up and just swayed there with me.

"Tonight," I murmured. His hand gently stroke my back.

"Tonight," he agreed, pressing his lips to mine. The moment we kissed, the sky broke and the rain fell, drowning out every sound.

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**The next chapters are the same chapters, only in different points of view. FYI. Hehe... Should be up some time this week!!!**


	15. Let Go

**Edward's point of view. Next chapter is pretty much the same, just a different point of view. Short note today. Heck yeppers!**

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I stood there that night, in the pouring rain. We had all gone home. We had a new addition to the Cullen household, Bella, my new wife. It sounded strange. Bella Cullen. Strange, and yet, so right. Much like laughter when you haven't laughed in months. She stood beside me, staring at me.

"Edward, when?" she whined yet again. I smiled, but the smile was bleak and faded instantly. I was so intent on doing this, but did I want to damn her to eternity? I loved her more than life itself, but did I want to forfeit her life? No. I'd have her for eternity, and that prospect made me willing. So finally, I took a breath.

"Now, Bella. Now," I whispered. My lips were right against her ear. I inhaled deeply. She smelled so good, so tempting. I swiftly picked her up and ran into my bedroom, shutting the door. Everyone knew I was going to bite her tonight. No one wanted to directly witness it, though. I touched my lips to her temple once we were in my room. She shivered and I smiled, trailing my lips slowly down her face I stopped at her jaw.

"Are you sure?" I whispered. She nodded. And my lips were on her neck. I could see, feel, hear, smell her blood pulsing beneath the thin, translucent skin.

_Let go_, a small voice in my mind whispered. I closed my eyes and did just what the voice said and sank my teeth into her skin. I pulled them out before I could kill her and smiled as her crimson blood bubbled out from the wound. _Forever_, it murmured.

"Forever." And then, she screamed. Her shriek ripped through the air and the peace of the moment. I took her to the front room and laid her down on the sofa. She let another agonized howl erupt from her lips and I froze as I watched her writhe on the cushions. I reached forward and she grabbed at my hand.

"The fire!" she rasped. I put my lips on her skin and she stopped for a moment.

"No, Edward. Don't. This is what I wanted. Three—" She stopped abruptly to let another scream tear from her. These three days were going to be fucking hell.

I watched as she suffered that first day. I pressed my hand to her forehead to her, and that seemed to relax her. She slept and Jasper stepped in. She slept through the entire second day, unable to feel the pain. She screamed occasionally in her sleep, but because of Jasper, she felt none of it. But the third day was horror, plain and simple.

If possible, her shrieks and howls grew more agonized as the poison slowly stopped her heart. Her face was molding itself into something inhuman as her body tried futilely fight the poison. It was the sharpest pain possible, the sharpest human memory she'd have. And I was the one to cause it.

At the end of the three days, she finally awoke, her eyes as red as the blood that had come from the gash in her neck just three days ago. When she looked around, she was shocked. She jumped down from the sofa and didn't stumble. She walked forward and moved with a strange, easy grace that was a part of her. She was paler than before and her face was more angular. She was curvy and lean and athletic looking. And the first thing that happened was Emmett's whistle.

I gaped before stepping forward. She looked at me and stepped forward, too.

"Edward?" she said quietly. I smiled and rushed forward, clutching me to her. She smiled a dazzling, venomous smile. And I loved her all the more. We had forever. She was forever.


	16. Incredible

**Bella's point of view. This is longer than the last chapter. Oh yea. I was just reading through the rest of the story and noticed that there are a lot of typos!! Hehe... Hopefully there'll be less typos in my next stories... Read on!!

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We were back in Forks, and it was pouring buckets. I had finally moved into the Cullens' house, despite a heartbroken Charlie. For a week, he was set on us moving in with _him._

"Aw, come on, Bella! Why not? You said yourself that living with me is practically like having your own home!" he had pleaded.

"But, Dad, I'll still technically live in Forks. Just with the Cullens until we move out to wherever. I still have to do my college applications, and Carlisle already said he'd write a letter of recommendation for me," I had said for the third time.

"But, I'll give you my room! It's bigger! And I promise I'll be nice to Edward," he vowed.

_That's not what you'll be saying when I'm writhing on the sofa in agony._

"Dad, it's alright. I promise. You can visit whenever. Okay?" I asked, hoping he'd agree to that much.

"I…guess…" he said haltingly. I smiled.

"And tonight can be the start of that. How about it? Esme can make you something. She's the best cook ever."

The night had gone incredibly well, Emmett making Charlie crack up repeatedly. When it was time for him to go, I stood at the doorway, telling him I'd see him in a week. He drove away, smiling. He had no idea how different I'd be.

That night, I stood beside my husband and just stared at him. Waiting.

"Edward, when?" I complained again. I could tell I was starting to get on his nerves. After a moment of silent thought, he took a deep breath, bracing himself for whatever.

"Now, Bella. Now," he whispered. His cold lips hummed against my ear, and I had to suppress a shiver. He picked me up and ran to his room. He stood me on the carpet, in the very middle of his room. He softly kissed my temples, his lips pushing my hair away. I couldn't stop the shiver that rippled down my spine. His lips deliberately moved down my face, softer than a moth's wing, and stopped at my jaw. _Dammit, kiss me already!_ I thought.

"Are you sure?" he asked. Again. Unable to speak without a trembling voice, I just nodded. I closed my eyes, waiting…

He kissed my neck in slow, smooth movements. And before I could think, I felt a sharp pain, right where his lips had been. Slowly, the pain increased, until it felt as if someone had taken a match to the place.

"Forever," was all I heard before I screamed. The burning! The searing was coming from inside my veins. Get it out!!

He picked me up and set me on a sofa in the main room. I screamed again and heard my pained voice echoing in the cavernous room.

"The fire!" I said, my voice a moan. He kissed my neck, and held his lips there, just where the blood was oozing. I knew at once what he wanted to do.

"No, Edward. Don't. This is what I wanted. Three—" I screamed suddenly, unable to speak. It was going to be three days of pure torture, but it was so, so worth it.

All day, Edward pressed his hands against my ski, trying to kill the fire that sped through my veins and burned my insides. I screamed all day, and everyone but Jasper was with me.

I spent the second day asleep. Behind my eyes, I was watching memories. The car ride to the airport with my mother…Unpacking in Charlie's house…The first day of school…Edward's first conversation with me…Being saved from the van…and finally after another series of rapid memories, the ones I'd eventually forget, kissing Edward in the pouring rain. But I awoke to a new, sharper, horrible pain. It all centered around my heart. My heart itself was on fire, a burning, searing, cinder-inducing, poisonous fire. I wanted it to stop, but it helped to mute the pain my face was going through. I had a killer headache. I wanted to focus on that, but every beat of my heart was agony.

But after that horror and pain, I awoke. The pain had ebbed away completely. But when I opened my eyes, nothing was the same. Everything was sharper, clearer. I was one of them, wasn't I? I looked around, incredulous. I hopped off of the sofa and…didn't stumble. Not a bit. I stepped forward slowly, testing myself. I was moving smoothly and gracefully. Not as graceful as the vampires around me, but I was pretty damn clumsy in my human life… Assuming, of course.

The first sound anyone made was Emmett. A shrill whistle escaped his lips. I looked at Edward who just gawked at me. At _me_. He moved towards me, and I walked to him to close the tiny distance. I wanted to be with him right this moment.

"Edward?" I asked, still completely disbelieving. It had to be a dream. Though they say you can't feel pain in dreams, who knew? He smiled and pulled me into him. I grinned and sank into him. This was no dream, and if it was, I never wanted to wake up, because in this fantasy, I'd have forever with Edward. It was dream come true for me.


	17. Epilogue: Forevermore

**YAY!!! We've reached the end. Up next: author's note and possibly another story!! Anyways, who know. Maybe she'll do it. Maybe she'll go after them. I congratulate and thank you for reading this. Please, let me repeat: YAY!!! Okey-doke. Read on and REVIW if you want a sequel to this story!! Sharky out!**

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I glared at my husband. If he was going to be a sore loser, well that was him, and not me.

"Look, let's just start it again. No need to pout," I said. He complied and cleared the board. We set the game up. After a while, I yelled "scrabble!" for no reason. I cracked him up when I acted random. He dropped a couple of tiles onto the board and turned my word "corn" into "unicorn." I raised an eyebrow.

"Unicorn?" I chuckled.

"Yea! Do you have a problem with that?" he asked, both eyebrows raised. I smiled a mischievously.

"You bet I do." I stood up and walked out of the kitchen and into the main room. He followed. I grabbed his arm and pulled him to me.

"Wanna see my problem?" I whispered. He grinned.

"No. I want to play Scrabble." I was shocked and he was smirking like an egotistical asshole.

"Wow. The big, bad, romantic vampire boy wants to play word games," I teased. He just nodded and sat back down at the kitchen door.

"I'll win you," he warned me. I just laughed. We played for hours. When he discovered that he won, he copied me, jumped up, and screamed "scrabble!" We both fell to the floor, laughing. This was what forever and eternity were made of, and I'd never let it go.

After a while, we got up and went into our bedroom to get ready for a new day. The sun was just rising, and we had to get to school. College was fun the first time, especially if you had my sore-loser-scrabble-loving husband, like me. He'd whisper random thoughts to me in class and I'd try so hard not to burst out in laughter. Of course, he aced every single test, had perfect homework and essays and had read every single book assigned. I asked for help on my homework and tests and he read my books to me (and it certainly helped me remember the romances. He kissed me whenever the characters kissed. We were in a true state of bliss.

After about a week after the little Scrabble incident, a letter arrived for us. I beat Edward to the door and grabbed it, dancing out of his reach as he tried to grab me, and inevitably, the letter. I ran around as I tore the envelope open. I stopped suddenly, frozen. Edward caught up to me and snatched the letter just as it fell from my hands. I just stared at the wall, still unmoving, as he quietly read aloud what I had just read.

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Cullen,_

_On December thirteenth _(six weeks after we had moved) _at eleven twenty-three, Mr. Charlie Swan passed. The reason is still unknown, but his body was mutilated, the neck sliced up and unevenly chopped. His body was entirely drained of blood. We detected some type of poison around the wound, but no one knows what it is. I am sorry for your loss._

_Robert G. Harold_

Edward's arm was wrapped around me. I would have sobbed until my eyes were red and puffy if I could cry, but instead, I just stared at the wall. Charlie was attacked by a vampire. One of us. I had to call the Cullens and find out who had killed him. There had to be a vampire in Forks. Today was the sixteenth. I was a fast runner. They'd never escape—

"Bella, are you okay?" Edward asked after a moment. I turned to him and saw his widen as they reflected the fury and heat and venom and murder in my own burgundy eyes.

"They're going to die, and I'm going to kill them. How the fucking hell do they think that I wouldn't fucking find this out?!" I screamed, running for the phone. I punched in the numbers, but Edward hung the phone up before it was at my ear.

"My dear, stop. You can find this out another way. You have forever." His eyes were sad for me, and I fell into his chest, weeping dry, tearless sobs. But I would be okay, because as Edward had told me, we had forever.


	18. Author's Note Number Two!

**YAY!!! It's finally finished!!!!! Okay, so, this story got a bunch of good reviews (I'm feelin the love!!) and I am so happy. I have gotten a couple of reviews asking for a sequel, so why not?? I will give y'all a sequel. Only because the reviews make me feel special:) But really, I was made happy. You all gave such nice reviews, and I thank you so much. You have no idea. YAY!!! Hehe... So, without further ado, I give you the preface to the sequel: Nevermore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

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Nevermore

Preface

I lunged forward, my teeth bared. He cowered against the wall with crimson eyes. I saw the fear in those eyes, but I surged forward. Strong arms encircled my waist, but I clawed and bit at them until they released me. I ran forward and scratched at his trembling granite body. His eyes squinted in pain and then glazed forward before turning to ash when I set fire to him. He deserved this for killing Charlie.

The same stone arms that restrained me earlier stopped me before I went any further.

"Bella, Bella, wake up," my angel's voice murmured in my ear. I turned around and he melted away into nothingness. Nothing. Nothing stopping me, restraining me. I ran out the door of my father's old house and ran until I could run no more. I screamed and hollered and howled in agony, fury, terror. Shadows followed me. I stopped against a tree and shrieked as the shadows moved to engulf me. I felt a nudge against my arm and came to. I had been daydreaming again. But this time, I screamed instead of biting my lip. The horrified shriek rumbling through me like an unstoppable train.


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